Whole-Grain Blender Kefir Pancakes

I’m loathe to even write the words, “with back-to-school season upon us”, but indeed, it’s true. Another summer’s end approaches. I’ll be glad to get my house back, yes, but will miss my kids, and eventually, I may even miss some of the mess that swirls around them. This year is a biggie for us. Two of my three are heading to far off places: The oldest back to college in Boston and my middle to a few adventures for a pre-college gap year.

This all brings me to the subject of back-to-school and these kefir pancakes. Before you start rolling your eyes at the idea of managing pancakes at the crack of dawn on a Monday, consider three things:

They’re made entirely in the blender. Dump in your ingredients, give it a whiz, and you’re done.

They freeze like a dream, which means you can make them on the weekend, stow them in the freezer (or fridge), and reheat in a toaster. (leftover pancakes can be swapped for lunch box sandwich bread smeared with nut butter and jam).

The batter holds up for a few days, so you can blend it one morning to enjoy again and again.

These kefir pancakes are light and fluffy, as they well should be, but are more nutritious than the norm. The oats and whole-wheat flour add fiber and provide sustained energy. I picked up all the ingredients at Sprouts Farmers Market, which is also a terrific place to find a variety of nutritious goodies to top your short stack.

A variety of fruit from the fresh produce and freezer section for color and a natural sweetness.

The kefir in the recipe lends protein, but is also a rich source of probiotics, those good-for-you bacteria to build a healthy gut. Truth be told, the heat of the pan diminishes the power of the probiotics. But, hopefully you’ll have enough leftover to enjoy in other ways. Blend it into a smoothie with fruit and honey, pour it over cereal or granola, or whisk it into a tangy dressing in lieu of buttermilk.

Side note: I’ll be running the first of a series of back-to-school cookbook giveaways, starting with Rise & Shine ,over on Instagram. Follow me there for a chance to win.

Whole-Grain Blender Kefir Pancakes

This recipe proves once and for all that pancakes can be a snap to make and nutritious to eat. The secret ingredient here is kefir, which is reminiscent of a thin yogurt that is rich in gut-healthy probiotics. The kefir, along with all of the other ingredients, get tossed into a blender and whizzed up in no time. Then, make your short stack even healthier by topping it off with favorite fruits, hemp seeds, and chopped walnuts.

Instructions

Put the kefir, eggs, butter, flour, rolled oats, vanilla, baking soda, and salt into a blender. Run on high just until smooth and blended, stopping to scrape down the sides and blending again as needed. The batter is thick. If you prefer thinner pancakes, add more kefir, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.

Heat a large cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Lightly coat the pan with non-stick spray, butter, or oil.

Pour ¼ cup pancake batter into the pan, making as many as will fit with a bit of room around each. When tiny bubbles begin to appear in the batter and the bottom is nicely brown, flip the pancakes and continue to cook until firm to the touch with no wet batter inside. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing the skillet before each new batch.

Transfer to a plate. Serve warm with favorite pancake toppings.

Store any leftover pancakes in a container or freezer bag and in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for a month or more.

Comments

I can totally see myself whipping these pancakes up before I get off to class, I also love how minimal the clean up is! Who says a work day has to start with a boring breakfast? These pancakes look perfect!

These look amazing. I love having frozen breakfast items ready to pull out and defrost for busy mornings. I’m curious if you think the beneficial cultures in the kefir survive the cooking and freezing process?